Director of Research

In the Ley Group, we specialise in developing new synthesis methods and applying them to the construction of biologically important molecules. Over the years we have completed the total synthesis of many natural products, including: spongistatin 1 (anti-mitotic agent); rapamycin (immunosuppressant); thapsigargin (SERCA pumps inhibitor); azadirachtin (insect antifeedant); and bengazole A (fungicide). In addition to our research on natural product synthesis, we also pioneered flow chemistry and machine assisted synthesis. 

For more detailed research information and our publication list, please see our legacy group website.

Completed Natural Products

Publications

Synthesis of the northern hemisphere of the milbemycins using a new strategy for the formation of the C15 to C16 bond.
D Culshaw, P Grice, SV Ley, GA Strange
Tetrahedron Letters
(1985)
26
WITTIG AND HORNER-WITTIG COUPLING REACTIONS OF 2-SUBSTITUTED CYCLIC ETHERS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO SPIROKETAL SYNTHESIS
SV Ley, B Lygo, HM Organ, A Wonnacott
Tetrahedron
(1985)
41
Total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (±)-hirsutene using an organoselenium-mediated cyclization reaction
SV Ley, PJ Murray, BD Palmer
Tetrahedron
(1985)
41
PREPARATION AND REACTIONS OF 2-BENZENESULPHONYLTETRAHYDROPYRAN
SV Ley, B Lygo, A Wonnacott
Tetrahedron Letters
(1985)
26
SYNTHETIC APPLICATIONS OF YNES, ENES AND ONES - ORGANOSELENIUM-MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTIONS IN ORGANIC-SYNTHESIS
SV LEY
CHEMISTRY & INDUSTRY
(1985)
A new route to spiro-ketals using the Horner-Wittig reaction of 2-diphenylphosphinoxy cyclic ethers
SV Ley, B Lygo
Tetrahedron Letters
(1984)
25
NOVEL REARRANGEMENT OF THE IONOPHORE ANTIBIOTIC X-14547A (INDANOMYCIN) AND RELATED DERIVATIVES INDUCED BY LITHIUM TETRAFLUOROBORATE
MP Edwards, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1
(1984)
Synthesis of spiroacetals using organoselenium-mediated cyclisation reactions. X-Ray molecular structure of (2S,8R)-8-methyl-2-phenyl-1,7- dioxaspiro-[5.5]undecan-4(R)-ol
AM Doherty, SV Ley, B Lygo, DJ Williams
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1984)
THE USE OF "3-ACETOXY-1-TRIMETHYLSILYLBUTADIENE IN THE SYNTHESIS OF ANTHRACYCLINONE DERIVATIVES
PC Bulman-Page, SV Ley
Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions 1
(1984)
SYNTHESIS OF (+/-)-CIS-6-METHYLTETRAHYDROPYRAN-2-YLACETIC ACID, A NATURAL PRODUCT FROM VIVERRA-CIVETTA, USING ORGANOSELENIUM-MEDIATED CYCLIZATION REACTIONS
SV Ley, B Lygo, H Molines
JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-PERKIN TRANSACTIONS 1
(1984)

Research Group

Telephone number

01223 336398

Email address